New York Comic Con is coming–and I’m going! I’ve picked panels; I’ve artist alley-ooh-ed and ah-ed–and I’ve mapped it all out like a cross-eyed pirate. I’ve emptied out the ol’ backpack and have filled it back up again with enough Pro Bars to fuel a contingent of hardcore cosplayers. I am convinced that this’ll be the best Con ever!

My optimism is not unfounded: I’ve conspired with some art reps for some pre-Con commissions from a few talented fellas: Ian Bertram (Allen Ginsberg circa the acid-fueled “Wales Visitation”), Leandro Fernandez (Adrian Chase/Vigilante), and Martin Morazzo (The Ice Cream Man serving up ice cream cones to my Goosebumps-loving daughters). Can’t wait to see what they come up with!

Before the Con, however, we’ve got a notable NCBD. So here’s my weekly FYI:

Dead Rabbit #1 (Image)

Die! Die! Die! #3 (Image)

Paper Girls #25 (Image)

Redlands #7 (Image): I&N Demand NYCC memory: Back in 2013, I had the pleasure of meeting Vanesa Del Rey, mostly by accident. See: I was on the hunt for some Six-Gun Gorilla OA from Jeff Stokely–which I scored, by the way–and VDR just so happened to be seated at an adjacent table. At the time, I knew her only from Hit, which was, at the time, a hit in its own right, and I told her as much. VDR was very friendly; in fact, she asked about my I&N shirt–even asked for a card, which I, regrettably, did not have. (I’ll be cardless this time around, too. ScottNerd–where lessons go to die.) She was kind enough to allow me to take a picture, which we featured in our NYCC 2013 follow-up. And, wouldn’t you know, I’ve been a fan ever since! I enjoyed the hell out of the first arc of Redlands–featuring strong women born of strong writing (a real breath of [Jordie] Bellaire, the otherwise ubiquitous colorist) and beautiful, lush, exceedingly sexy art from VDR–and am very much looking forward to this one.

Border Town #2 (DC/Vertigo): I&N Demand Well, I had no idea I’d like #1 as much as I did. Had to shout it out in a 22 I&N 22, which I’ll share here because it says a lot: Bloody moving—a monster of racial relevance; tears down walls, cranks up the stereotypes to once upon a helluva good time. Arriba! You know what that means: expectations for #2 are muy alto–muy, muyalto.

A Walk Through Hell #5 (AfterShock): I&N Demand Re: the cover: An Hello to Arms–obviously a Prequel to Hemingway’s classic to-hell-and-back wartime love novel. Or maybe it’s just a disarming cover for another horrifying stretch of Ennis and Sudzuka’s A Walk Through Hell. I’m going with the latter ladder–of fucking arms. (Apologies available on a first-come, first-served basis.)

Things are heating up around these parts! The unbearably hot and humid end of August means that work’s a week away. However, before I buckle under the oppressive temps of routine and responsibility, I’ve got to give this week’s I&N Demand books their requisite once over. So, here we go:

The New World #2 (Image): I&N Demand The New World is built upon a familiar foundation–it’s “a whole new world,” with “a new fantastic point of view”–with Aleš Kot’s singular perspective, itself an eclectic amalgam of vibrant and vital voices from across ages, genres and mediums. He’s the real deal; and I, for one, am, as always, excited to have the opportunity to turn the pages of his inimitable imagination–in this case, as brought to the page by Tradd and Heather Moore. The former’s lines are truly miracles of the medium: they flow and flow and flow, creating a sense of motion, which pushes the narrative pace; the latter’s colors complement perfectly the lines, adding significant depth to Tradd’s artwork and creating a new world worthy of exploration on each page, in each panel. Very much looking forward to learning how Kot’s kick-ass Stella–a Juliet by another name–deals with the way-chill Kirby, her “only love sprung by her only” having to hunt him the fuck down. Reality star-crossed lovers, indeed!

Scarlet #1 (DC)

Web of Venom: Ve’Nam #1 (Marvel)

Bone Parish #2 (BOOM!): I&N Demand Finally: the follow-up to the #1 hit from Bone Drugs-N-Harmony! (Hmm. Sounded better in my head. I mean, I 22 I&N 22-ed the thing to death and was waiting to drop this one-liner and– Know what? I blame those guys. Bunn and Scharf and Guimarães. Fuckers. Coming together to create this…this…addictive nightmare! Been fiending for this for, what, like a month. Feels like forever. Twisting. Haven’t been right in the head since. Turning. Gotta get to my dealer. Gotta go. Gotta get there. But. But what if he’s out? Fuck. What if he runs out? Goddamn it. I gotta run. I gotta

Hillbilly: Red-Eyed Witchery from Beyond #1 (Albatross): I&N Demand I loved Hillbilly #12! Loved. It. The final episode in Rondel’s epic journey was huge in scope, but Eric Powell crafted it in such a perfectly compact manner–delivering Hurrah!-worthy Homerian moments (“the last of [his] kind,” indeed!) and taking a wrench to Rondel’s heart–and to mine!–and twisting oh-so-cruelly. As much as it hurt in the end, we–Rondel and I–have got to cleave that all behind and move on–to more haggish mayhem!

A Walk Through Hell #4 (AfterShock): I&N Demand Garth Ennis is building something truly frightening here–and–in #3, in particular–he’s doing so through dialogue–the masterfully-crafted dialogue for which he is known. Few comic book writers can keep the tension up while ratcheting up the word count; but Ennis does it effortlessly. Goran Sudzuka’s subdued art–with taciturn gray and brown tones from colorist Ive Svorcina–allows the aforementioned tension to build; and by laying out every page differently, Sudzuka subtly emphasizes the complex nature of the plot as it continues to develop. I’m very much looking forward to getting to the bottom of this mystery–though I don’t mind the walk one bit–and can’t wait to get wrapped up in more of Ennis’s demonically-deliberate diealogue.

First, I’d like to share an important update: I’m all caught up! That’s right, I&Nmates: I’ve read everything–Every. Flippin’. Floppy. in my possession–including the procrastinative Calexit, issues #2 and #3, which were, in the end, not surprisingly, all right left.

Wow. I’ve killed the pile, and it feels good. You know what I’m talking about: nothing burdens a comic book nerd quite like being behind a week or a month with his or her reading.

With that load taken off of my desk–a white IKEA secretary for you I&N completists–I’m re-energized and ready to let ‘er rip–so here’s what’s I&N Store this week:

The New World #1 (Image): I&N Demand A few years ago, when we were still writing the good write, we celebrated Ales Kot as the writer of the moment: his voice was potent; it was poetry. He had us hearing things and experiencing things and thinking things in ways that were unexpected. Compared to the other solid books that populated the shelf and, ultimately, our bags, his books, particularly Zero, were just more. Speaking of more: one of the reasons I decided to return to writing about what I love is Kot’s own Days ofHate–specifically #5, the near-silent, explosively tri-ing narrative, presented perfectly by Danijel Zezelj and Jordie Bellaire–which has, through six issues, conducted in me the synaptic symphony to which I became addicted when I was deep into Zero–or, more so, when Zero was deep into me. Deeper still: as a self-proclaimed Always Kot-er, I will gleefully grab the 72-page initial offering of TheNew World–with art from the Lord of Lines, Tradd Moore–because when it comes to Kot, more is more and, damn, I’m ready to read, ready to explore.

Redneck #13 (Image)

Royal City #13 (Image)

Saga #54 (Image)

Action Comics #1001 (DC)

Doomsday Clock #6 (DC)

Amazing Spider-Man #2 (Marvel)

Bone Parish #1 (BOOM!): I&N Demand Cullen Bunn kicked my ass with his hell-raising run on Harrow County, issue for issue, the best regular monthly horror book of the last few years. After having said goodbye to Emmy and having left Harrow in good hands, Bunn’s back with Bone Parish, a drug-laced horror book that, interestingly enough, in a kind of ThePrestige vs. The Illusionist-style turf battle, seems to live in the same cemetery as Black Mask’s addictive Gravetrancers, which just so happens to be out this week, too! Now, that book is bonkers–story-wise and art-wise; and, in that, it’s a good time, man–yeah, it’s an effing trip. I’m pretty sure, however, that Bunn’s book–with art from Jonas Scharf–is going to be a bit tighter. Take the underappreciated Unsound, for example: Bunn got gleefully unhinged during that paper plate masquerade, yet the story still felt grounded–even when the ground was the ceiling! So, will I be comparing Bone Parish to Gravetrancers? Of course. Anyone who’s read the latter has an obligation to test the former–to see if it transcends its predecessor or if it falls flat. Hey: my bag ain’t no vacuum, after all: it’s some prime–and responsibly recycled–real estate; and these two death-drug lords, Bunn and Miller, will be throwing down–if only for this one day–to claim the turf. We’ll soon see who’s got the write stuff white stuff the goods and who’s got the betters.

Britannia: Lost Eagles of Rome #1 (Valiant)

Crossed+One Hundred: Mimic #4 (Avatar)

Gravetrancers #4 (Black Mask)

Hillbilly #12 (Albatross): I&N Demand It’s all led to this–every step, every story, every swing of Rondel’s cleaver: witches–lots and lots of witches–vs. the Iron Child and his newly-raised army. Eric Powell has taken us on quite a journey; with each issue and one into the next, he’s crafted an epic for the ages. I’ll be sad when it’s over, that’s for damn sure; but it ain’t over until the Hillbilly swings–one last time.

A Walk Through Hell #3 (Aftershock): I&N Demand During the terrifying stretch of road that was #2, Garth Ennis and Goran Sudzuka unloaded with the increasingly uncomfortable self-inflicted Passion of Huzikker, the suicidal centerpiece of a crazy spent-shell game of an issue. The never-ending barrage of bullets had me emotionally ducking for cover, had me silently begging for the poor guy to die–not unlike the response George Orwell demands with his revolutionary short piece “Shooting an Elephant.” (Why won’t the effing thing die already!) Another selling point, of course, is Ennis’s living anew in law enforcement. (This reads not unlike Red Team with a twist of dread–which would make this, wait for it, Dread Team.) No one cops cop speak like Ennis; yes, as always, his dialogue is to die for. And speaking of dying: I’m in no rush–and neither is Ennis, clearly; it is “a walk through hell,” after all. The terror he’s harnessed is born of the waiting and the wonder; so, yeah, let’s walk.

X-O Manowar #17 (Valiant)

Yay! A new pile! You know what I’m talking about: nothing excites a comic book nerd quite like having a new pile of comics on his or her desk.

Eye of Newt #1 (Dark Horse): I ain’t a fan of The Hobbit and I ain’t looking to make a habit outta buying books that tease Tolkienesque quests. But this new release from Michael Hague looks awfully pretty. Reminds of Rebecca Guay.

Eye of Newt #1

Batman and Ra’s al Ghul #32 (DC): OK, so, I’ve been touting this title for over a year now, mostly because of how well Tomasi dealt with the aftermath of Morrison’s fatal calculus. Since the Two-Face arc, however, it just hasn’t added up–that is until #31, which offered the return of Frankenstein and a breath of fresh art from guest artist Doug Mahnke.

Wonder Woman #32 (DC): Wanna talk about women in comics? The conversation begins and ends with Wonder Woman. In the Battle of the Bulging Bag, the new God of War is the clear winner.

Wonder Woman #32

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #35 (IDW):No longer gets a bump from being a surprise–and doesn’t need it! I think we can all agree: Mateus Santolouco owns the Turtles. If we’re lucky, he’ll never leave.

Winterworld #1 (IDW): Chuck Dixon and Butch Guice? Yes, please!

Alex + Ada #7 (Image): Sure, Ada only recently gained sentience; but let’s face it: this book’s been full of life from the get-go.

Alex + Ada #7

Fatale #23 (Image): #22 worked for what it was. This one promises to be “the strangest issue […] yet.” Guess that means a helluva lot of strange. Aw, hell, Brubaker and Phillips may as well wring out the strange sponge on their way out.

The Manhattan Projects #21 (Image): Gee whiz! An issue featuring a dog! Haven’t read one of those in while.

The Wicked & The Divine #1 (Image): Kieron Gillen’s a must try. Jamie McKelvie’s clean style will go a long way toward letting Gillen tell his story about young gods living the life–until they die.

Daredevil #4 (Marvel): Who?

Daredevil #4

Silver Surfer #3 (Marvel): #2 earned its place in our Top 5 for April. Read about it here and discover why Silver Surfer belongs in your bag, too.

Harbinger #24 (Valiant): Almost done. Shame, really. Has been one of the better superhero team books around.

The Last Broadcast #2 (Archaia): #1 was terrific! Can’t wait to discover what’s next! Hoping pretty hard that Andre Sirangelo can keep the same pace here in #2.

Magnus: Robot Fighter #4 (Dynamite): Fred Van Lente’s a busy man, but he’s not letting it show in his work; he writes each book as if it’s his only one. Absolutely loved #3–especially when the Robot Fighter’s fist met a flying car’s front end in a spectacular spread by Corey Smith. Speaking of fists:

Magnus: Robot Fighter #4

Translucid #3 (BOOM!): #2 was the runner-up for Biggest Dis(appointment) of May. There’s a fine line between a juvenile affect and juvenilia. Hoping for more than a month’s worth of maturity here with #3.

Clone #10 (Goshdarn it! I really thought we were going to escape the issue with a happy ending!)

Indestructible Hulk #13 (If I could go back in time, I’d pass not only on this issue but on the entire series. I can’t, so I’ll just jump off now. Unfortunately, the House I was promised never quite opened its doors to the exciting interpersonal possibilities.)

Rachel Rising #19 (The best issue yet? You bet! And that’s saying a lot.)

Rachel Rising #19

Captain America #11 (I figured I’d try it now that Cap’s back in the real world and all. Didn’t really care for it. Too many “See what I just did?” moments from Remender. But I’ll cut it a break for what it is: a transition. What it’ll transition to…? Well, that’s the question, isn’t it? If the next one doesn’t answer the question, though, I’m out until a new writer comes on.)

Brain Boy #1 (Wildly uneven effort from the architect of Archer & Armstrong. The art from R.B. Silva, Rob Lean, and Ego is terrific, however. All together, I’ll probably see this three-issue arc through ’til the end.)

Astro City #4 (Another terrific story from Kurt Busiek.)

The Manhattan Projects #14 (Hickman and Pitarra don’t disappoint. They don’t know how to disappoint. Love the final splash, which sells a crazy-eyed, wrench-wielding Oppenheimer much in the same way #12 sold a chainsaw-of-relativity-sporting Einstein.)

The Manhattan Projects #14

The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys #4 (Just as crazy as we’ve come to expect! Hey, it’s the Gerard Way.)

Brain Boy #1 (Dark Horse): Anything with Fred Van Lente at the helm is a no-brainer.

Brain Boy #1

The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys #4 (Dark Horse): So far, the series hasn’t read like a particularly engaging book; yet, strangely enough, it is–and quite.

Astro City #4 (DC/Vertigo): Busiek is in complete control of his universe, and we’re all the better for it.

Astro City #4

FBP: Federal Bureau of Physics #3 (DC/Vertigo): I didn’t care for most of #2, and then came the end–an end that very well may have staved off the end of this brief affair.

Clone #10 (Image): #8 waned. #9 waxed. Wonder if I’ll be whining about waning again this time around. Or maybe I’ll be woohoo-ing about waxing. Either way, I’ve got to know: what’s the splatter with these guys?

Clone #10

Ghosted #3 (Image): May be the last go-round for Ghosted and this guy.

The Manhattan Projects #14 (Image): Always a potential Book of the Month.

Sidekicks #2 (Image): The real villain of #1 was a tragically transparent twist. I’m going to pick this one up, though; after all, it took JMS more than two issues to sell me on Ten Grand.

Captain America #11 (Marvel): Could this be the Captain America I’ve been waiting for? After the complete diZola that was Remender’s NOW! reboot, I sure hope so. Hey, maybe he’s seen the light. Color me red, white, and cautiously optimistic.

Captain America #11

Indestructible Hulk #13 (Marvel): This trip through time hasn’t been as terrible as I thought it’d be. Waid captured the Kids of the Wild West pretty well; now it’s on to Camelot.

X-Men #5 (Marvel): So far, Battle of the Atom been an underwhelming exercise in making this time-travel mess count for something. Suppose this one’s going to fall in line.

Archer & Armstrong #13 (Valiant): Wow! A year in already? Hard to believe. But what a year it’s been, no? Without question, A&A‘s a Top Ten monthly. Why should this month be any different? Aliens? Dinosaurs? Bring ’em on!

Archer & Armstrong #13

Eternal Warrior #13 (Valiant): Worth a try. The Eternal Warrior’s gotten a lot of good exposure across the Valiant Universe, and he looks like a compelling enough character. Plus, Greg Pak’s doing some heady work over on Batman/Superman. Wonder what he’s going to do here; I mean, this doesn’t seem like a forum for heady fare–or does it?

Rachel Rising #19 (Abstract Studio): Re: #18: Now that’s how you craft a cliffhanger. This’ll be my first read.

Buying comics shouldn’t be so darned complicated! Or maybe it should be. Maybe therein lies the worth.

Saga #13 (Read it! This thirteenth impression’s a pretty damn good one, proving that, yes, even after a few months off, this baby–despite its modesty, this “sacred text”–has still got legs.)

Suicide Squad #23 (Read it! Really, really not good. Ales Kot–scribe of the magnificent mindf___ Change–clearly wasn’t suited for the book. But that’s OK: he’s got a couple of promising books in the Image pipeline; and Matt Kindt, who’s got even more irons in the fire, is the new god of the Squad. Can’t wait to see how that pans out.)

East of West #5 (Read it! Hickman’s hitting the “Wow!” button and making it look easy! Some writers out there should be taking notes.)

East of West #5

Breath of Bones: A Tale of the Golem #3 (Read it! It was OK; I mean, it certainly is what I was hoping for from the get-go: the golem finally kicks some serious Nazi hintern. But, in the end, I was left a bit flat–kind of like my own hintern–perhaps because the grandfather, who was the source of most of the emotional punch, is replaced by the brutish golem, whose punch is of a more physical sort. Wait a sec. Hmm. Suddenly I ain’t feelin’ so flat anymore. Clever, Mr. Niles. Very clever.)

Batman #23 (Read it! Starts off well enough–very well, in concept, anyway. Execution-wise, it’s a bit clunky. This is supposed to be the moment in Bruce’s life; instead, it feels like a moment–one that’s not nearly the same caliber as Red Hood’s gun. As the story crawls its way toward Bruce’s Batpiphany, Snyder struggles with drawing out the psychological side of the journey. In fact, he would’ve been better off letting Capullo carry it through to the end without the weight of his burdensome words. That would’ve been something.)

Batman #23

Uncanny X-Men #10 (Read it! Gonna be honest: I liked it. Oh, how I’ve longed to say it! I want to say it again: I liked it! I especially enjoyed Frazer Irving’s work this time around; it’s the first time he’s left me feeling like he owns the characters.)

Uncanny X-Men #10

Deathmatch #8 (Read it! Two monster matches! Each fight hits the right notes, reaching the height of harmony between the physical and the psychological. Plenty brutal, sure; but emotionally engaging, as well.)

Mind the Gap #12 (Read it! A really good read. Like the issues come before, this one peels back another layer and brings, however briefly, a feeling of satisfaction–of “almost there.” Thing is, it’s all a tease: we’re dealing with a “one step forward, two steps back” narrative; and wouldn’t you know, as frustrating as it is, the experience is all the better for the strategy. Kudos to Mr. McCann–for effing with our minds and making it feel oh so good!)

Harbinger #15 (Read it! Sneaky, sneaky. Dysart sets a trap early on with the title–“Perfect Day”–and a general feeling of frivolousness, and then he springs it with a crazy ending. My only wish: that the final page followed a page turn. That would’ve delivered a bigger punch. And as it turns, Kitson’s art isn’t much of a drag here as it was on Bloodshot. See, folks: I can be fair, after all.)

Harbinger #15

Archer & Armstrong #12 (Read it! As solid as always. Fred Van Lente’s got it down to a science, and Pere Perez’s art is the perfect complement.)

The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys #3 (Read it! An odd experience. Feels scattered and tidy all at the same time. Not sure how much value there is in this story or in the storytelling, but I’m going to ride it out, nevertheless; it’s only a six issue series, for goodness sake.)

Six-Gun Gorilla #3 (Read it! So good. Spurrier adds another dimension as he builds upon Blue’s background as a librarian: in doing so, he joins Saga‘s Vaughan by plowing into the power of fiction. Monkey bar raised yet again!)